[Myocardial infarction in relation to perinatal hypoxia].

Six newborn infants with myocardial infarction are presented. All of them had a history of perinatal hypoxemia and their natal weights were below 2,500 g. All infants developed cardiogenic "shock" during and required assisted ventilation. Autopsy confirmed the diagnosis in five of the six infants. Other autopsy findings were intracranial bleeding (three cases) and pulmonary atelectasis (two cases). Authors review pathophysiology of this clinical picture and point out its possible influence in the origin of neonatal shock.